Vikings stadium effort moves closer to the front burner

The Vikings’ lease at the Metrodome expires after the 2011 season. In theory, that would allow the team to move without financial consequence.

Of course, the Vikings first would need to find a new home — and the team would have to get 23 of the other 31 owners to give their blessing to the relocation. (Given that it would pull the plug on the filing of future antitrust lawsuits in the players’ preferred jurisdiction, we’ve got a feeling that owner Zygi Wilf wouldn’t have to work too hard to get the votes.)

Though the effort has languished during the 2011 session of the Minnesota Legislature, things are expected to get moving after the Easter break. According to Kevin Duschere of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the current proposal raises roughly two thirds of the state’s contribution through a 10-percent wholesale tax on all sports memorabilia, including items not licensed by the NFL and unrelated to football.

Specifically, the $29.5 million per year that the league would pump into the project includes $17.6 million from the memorabilia tax, $7.8 million from a five-percent tax on income the Vikings and their opponents earn while playing in the new stadium (we can’t imagine the NFL and the Vikings not fighting that one), $2.1 million from a Vikings-themed lottery game, $1.39 million from a 6.5-percent sales tax on satellite TV, and $650,000 from a 6.5-percent sales tax on suite, box seats, and sky box rentals at the new stadium.

But even if the state can get its 33-percent share of the money together, the project still needs a local partner to kick in another third of the total coast, and to host the new venue. Tim Nelson of Minnesota Public Radio recently detailed Hennepin County’s reluctance to take on the burden. If Hennepin County (which would put the new stadium near the Twins’ new home, Target Field) is out, the two potential suitors become Minneapolis, which would build the stadium at the site of the Metrodome, and nearby Ramsey County.

Meanwhile, the Vikings recently reached out to their 54,000-name list of season-ticket holders with an e-mail encouraging them to get involved: “[W]e can’t do this without your help. Having legislators hear from Vikings fans is crucial to the effort, so we’re asking you to please reach out to your elected officials and let them know this project is important to you.”

Frankly, the legislators shouldn’t need to hear from Vikings fans. They should be smart enough to realize on their own the benefits of building a new, first-class, multi-use facility and the consequences of allowing the Vikings franchise to become a free agent.

We continue to fear that the legislators are just smart enough to figure it all out one day too late.

“Specifically, the $29.5 million per year that the league would pump into the project includes $17.6 million from the memorabilia tax, $7.8 million from a five-percent tax on income the Vikings and their opponents earn while playing in the new stadium (we can’t imagine the NFL and the Vikings not fighting that one), $2.1 million from a Vikings-themed lottery game, $1.39 million from a 6.5-percent sales tax on satellite TV, and $650,000 from a 6.5-percent sales tax on suite, box seats, and sky box rentals at the new stadium.”

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So how do these figures represent money coming from the league? Every single damn avenue and amount ultimately is coming from fans pockets, not the leagues.

“According to Kevin Duschere of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the current proposal raises roughly two thirds of the state’s contribution through a 10-percent wholesale tax on all sports memorabilia, including items not licensed by the NFL and unrelated to football.”

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Again, how is a 10-percent tax on memorbilia counted as funding from the state when fans are the ones going to be paying these taxes?

“Frankly, the legislators shouldn’t need to hear from Vikings fans. They should be smart enough to realize on their own the benefits of building a new, first-class, multi-use facility and the consequences of allowing the Vikings franchise to become a free agent.”

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Translation:::
Legislators hope fans and taxpayers are too stupid to look into the fine print and not challenge the numbers and means of obtaining them. If the legislators cant pull the wool over desperate uninformed Minnesota Vikings fans and residents, there is some other city that will be able to snooker it’s residents.

The Vikes need to build an outdoor grass/synthetic blend field like GB has. The retro and attitude would be just what the doctor ordered. Plus it’d be about 1/2 the cost.

But then again, there aren’t many real Viking fans – after all, the Purple People Eaters can’t even sell out the comfort of the Humpty Dump, so I doubt many people would go all in for sub zero Minny December temps.

As much as I hate the Vikes, I don’t want them to move. The NFC Norris would lose something with the Rams as an addition. (And isn’t the TW dome’s lease up soon too?)

“If Hennepin County … is out, the two potential suitors become Minneapolis … and nearby Ramsey County.”

Now correct me if I’m wrong, and I may be because I’ve only lived in Minnesota my entire adult life, but Minneapolis is the county seat of Hennepin County. Why are Minneapolis and Hennepin County issuing competing bids?

I’m just curious…how long would it take to build this new stadium? If they’re building on the metrodome site, I’m assuming they obviously have to wait until after the 2011 season to tear it down and build the new place. Or is there room to build it next to it? Where will they play in 2012 while they’re building this new stadium?

Its still a long way from getting done but in the spirit of helping out, I will suggest some alternative income producing ideas.

1. A lotto type game where the fans guess the number of losses for the Vikings in 2011 where if you guess the right number, then you hold a ticket for the lotto drawing. They should charge double for double digit numbers which is likely to be right number given the sad state of the team.

2 Charge the local Fortune 500 companies a “leave me alone” fee whereby if they pay it, the Vikings promise never to call them to buy tickets nobody wants just to avoid a local blackout.

3. Add three extra zeros to any traffic fine given to a Viking going over the speed limit, that should add some extra money to the pot.

4. Get Brad Childress to take a break from attending his MENSA meetings to go into the dunk tank in the parking lot at all home games. Given the overwhelming love the Viking fans feel for Col Klink, $5 a throw could virutally pay for the new stadium on just this idea alone.

5 Since any public tax is not fair because not all taxpayers are Viking fans, might I suggest a surcharge on all gerbil sales. That way the tax hits only the Viking fans.

Just trying to help out my Lombardi Trophy-less neighbors to the West.

Translation:::
Legislators hope fans and taxpayers are too stupid to look into the fine print and not challenge the numbers and means of obtaining them. If the legislators cant pull the wool over desperate uninformed Minnesota Vikings fans and residents, there is some other city that will be able to snooker it’s residents.
====================================All government money comes from the taxpayer in some form or another.

Legislators and fans should bear in mind that the Vikings are not the only benefactors with a new stadium. Currently, they play two pre-season and eight regular season games in the Metrodome. If they make the playofffs, it could be a couple more. That’s a possible total of about 12 games a year. Does the Dome sit idle and empty the rest of the time and not make any money? No, the Dome hosts a wide variety of events that earns income for the MSFC and the state. Concession stand operators, Dome staff, and others earn money at these events. Parking lots, bars, restaurants, and parking ramps earn money from these events. And the state rakes in taxes and rent revenue from it all. So it’s not like the Vikings are to sole beneficiaries in a new facility. It’s probably a 2-3 year construction project with locally employed workers, locally purchased, building materials, etc. Again, the state benefits through taxes on everything, from sales taxes to income taxes.
Yes, it’s a good deal for the Vikings, but keep in mind, they are not the only ones who make out in a new stadium deal.

It shouldn’t suprise anybody that the resolution the government wants is just to tax people. That is what America has become. We left England to get away from unfair taxes, and what have we done since then?? Taxes ourselves more and more and more and more!! When will the people again say, enough is enough? I feel every day goes by where Americans get more and more fed up with the way our government runs. The problem is over time we have gotten ourselves in such a financial pickle with reckless government spending it doesn’t matter who we put into the legislature or presidency, it makes it near impossible to even begin to try to eliminate our national debt. We need a complete government overhaul, period. Neither party is willing to do that though so we are just stuck like it is now until people get sick of it enough to revolt.

This is disgusting!! If the Vikings want a new stadium, why dont they just BUILD ONE!!! Why should taxpayers foot the bill to build a sports stadium for a billionaire owner?? Gillete Stadium was entirely built with private money, except for road inprovements! TD Bank Garden was built by the Celtics with NO public money, except for a new T stop at the facility! The citizens of Massachusetts absolutely REFUSED to finance a new Fenway Park; the owners did ALL the improvements for the greatest park in baseball! ( Good thing Frank McCourt didnt get the team! :P)

I really get riled up that so many pro sports owners expect the citizens to cough up public dollars for new sports stadiums!! If an owner cant afford to run his busniess properly, then he should either look to the league for help or sell the team!

as a lifelong Packer fan…i hope they can get a new stadium deal done as the NFL would be the biggest losers without the history of the franchise and the yearly rivalries between the Vikings and the Packers..oh yah..the Bears too lol.

I like the NFL, but why should people who do not like football pay the bill? The legislature needs to tell the Vikings to sell PSLs or forget it. They already have 54,000 potential PSLs.

You may say that the bulk of the money appears to be coming from Viking related endeavors, but it is the taxpayers who have to pay if not enough people buy memorabilia, lottery tickets, satellite TV, etc.

The legislature needs to stop playing Reverse Robin Hood – stealing from the working, non-football taxpayers and giving to the rich (owner and players).

The vikings would play at tcf bank stadium. You know the same stadium that they used last year. The outdoor cold weather game that they still couldn’t sell out, but yet the fan-base still claims they want an open roof stadium.
Why no talk of P.S.L’s to help pay for the stadium.

NFL owners should pay for their own stadiums. If NFL teams are not able to generate a profit then they will have a real excuse to cut the players salary’s. The fans already pay way too much to watch NFL games. There is no reason why we should have to pay any additional taxes. I currently live in Texas, so I am currently paying direct TV to watch the Vikings play. In addition I am paying taxes that are paying for the Huston Texans, Rockets, Astros, and Dynamo. Every state should be spending tax money on infrastructure so our kids inherit a thriving country with adequate infrastructure like transportation, communication systems, power plants, water treatment plants and schools instead of a massive deficit.

The vikings would play at tcf bank stadium. You know the same stadium that they used last year. The outdoor cold weather game that they still couldn’t sell out, but yet the fan-base still claims they want an open roof stadium.
Why no talk of P.S.L’s to help pay for the stadium.

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The only reason TCF bank stadium was 1/3 empty last year was because it 1) was on very short notice, 2) caused a transit and parking logistical nightmare and oh yeah 3) was in the middle of the worst blizzard of the winter. Half the town couldn’t get their cars dug out.

That being said, the majority of the fan base does not want an outdoor stadium (myself included). Anyone who says they enjoy -30 windchills is lying to you.

The only reason TCF bank stadium was 1/3 empty last year was because it 1) was on very short notice, 2) caused a transit and parking logistical nightmare and oh yeah 3) was in the middle of the worst blizzard of the winter. Half the town couldn’t get their cars dug out.

That being said, the majority of the fan base does not want an outdoor stadium (myself included). Anyone who says they enjoy -30 windchills is lying to you.

WRONG!!!

They couldn’t give away the tickets. It was empty because lack of support.

Packer Fans and Bear fans show up to their home games in zero below weather.

I like the NFL, but why should people who do not like football pay the bill? The legislature needs to tell the Vikings to sell PSLs or forget it. They already have 54,000 potential PSLs.

Unlike Jimmy Smith, I actually live in Green Bay; yet I root for the Vikings. (There are actually alot of us here as well as Bear fans.) There is an extra sales tax percent here to pay for Lambeau’s renovation. Why do I have to pay it then?

As much as I despise the loudmouthed, obnoxious Packer fans, the stadium re-build was good for football. Any tax the Vikings would need to build the stadium would pay for itself many times over before it lapsed and the debt was paid.

The NFL would be foolish and short-sighted (again, like Jimmy) to allow the Vikings to leave. Bite the bullet and keep them in town. Plus, if the Vikings were to leave, what would Jimmy do? Perhaps get a life, job, girlfriend……….

the MAIN reason TCF was not full was the way they set up how you could get in-we had to wait 2 hours outside and once you actually got in there were no assigned seats-so if you went to use the restroom or get food you would lose your seat

are most of you on here complete idiots? why should the fans be the only ones that pay for the stadium when the Vikings pump between $30-$50 million back into the state’s general fund-try replacing that.

It’s all pretty simple-they use the racino & build a casino for ALL Mn sports-that way the people that hate sports don’t have to go to that casino-they wouldn’t have to sell PSL’s or even raise taxes-BUT Minnesota politicians are tax addicts and can’t figure out how to get anything done without them

“But then again, there aren’t many real Viking fans – after all, the Purple People Eaters can’t even sell out the comfort of the Humpty Dump, so I doubt many people would go all in for sub zero Minny December temps.”
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Sold out every game for 12+ years at the dome. Even sold out the road “home” game we had in Detroit last year.

Where will they play in 2012 while they’re building this new stadium?
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TCF Bank stadium or brand new state of the art 50,000 seat college football stadium. Might have seen it on MNF if you actually watch football?

The outdoor cold weather game that they still couldn’t sell out, but yet the fan-base still claims they want an open roof stadium.
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Selling 40,000/50,000 tickets to a nearly(at the time) last place team in single digit temps having received a foot of snow the day before was actually impressive. Especially when playoff contenders(Jags) use tarps and whatnot to block off sections of seats. If they build it, it will be full. Indoors or outdoors, just like the dome has been for all these years.

PS Jimmy love the post yet again, although you don’t really think that Vikes fans like or ever really did like Childress do you? That’s just another troll attempt right?

The funniest thing about these posts about the stadium situation in Minnesota are the terribly stupid Packer fans who show near total ignorance to the fact that they’re the NFL’s version of welfare.

If the Packers weren’t the only publicly owned team in the NFL, there would be no franchise in Wisconsin. Period. The market is too small. And no owner or ownership group–no matter how special you think your tradition is–would take a financial ass beating for that franchise. And if there were no salary cap, the Packers would go to the bottom of the league because they couldn’t afford to attain or keep good players.

So, live it up, ninnies. Because if it weren’t for these FACTS, you’d have nothing to do on Sundays except tag the milk cow a second time.

I look forward to every Pack/Vikes game every year. It would just be sad if the Vikes left Minny. The Vikes went from a tough outdoor team at the Met. To a indoor team at the dome. (I’m talking about fans not players). Build a new dome and make the NFL give the area a couple Super Bowls in the next 10-15 years to help play the beast off. It would be awsome to watch the Pack win the Bowl in Minny. It would be better than Jerry World.

Selling 40,000/50,000 tickets to a nearly(at the time) last place team in single digit temps having received a foot of snow the day before was actually impressive. Especially when playoff contenders(Jags) use tarps and whatnot to block off sections of seats. If they build it, it will be full. Indoors or outdoors, just like the dome has been for all these years.

are most of you on here complete idiots? why should the fans be the only ones that pay for the stadium when the Vikings pump between $30-$50 million back into the state’s general fund-try replacing that.
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Excellent point

Your tax dollars go to things you don’t use all the time or even things you adamantly object to (abortion).
Think of all the money that goes to the arts, I don’t see plays & someone’s idea of a great painting or sculpture is viewed by 100 others as garbage. This does have potential to contribute back to the tax base.

Let’s say, 10% state income tax on the kind of incomes made by NFL players (I’m guessing, since I don’t make anywhere near that….). Figure average payroll at $120 million. (probably low-ball over the next 25 years) And 25 year lease to play at the new stadium.

$120 million x 10% x 25 years = $300 million

This is your starting point for these discussions. This is the amount of tax revenue that leaves when the players leave. now tack on the taxes paid by the coaches, trainers, and the rest of the staff. And then ask Ziggy how much he pays the state every year for operating the franchise in Minnesota. But let’s return to the starting point.

$300 million

You’re all like the people who won’t approve a .1% tax bump to fix the roads, and then pay thousands to get your suspension fixed. Stupid short-sightedness.

But fine, you disapprove of paying rich people to operate their businesses in the state. Then let’s end the tax breaks given to all companies. I’m sure they will just use their own money to keep operating here, instead of moving to a state that will give them tax breaks.

While we’re at it, since we don’t use taxpayer money to pay for entertainment venues, let’s end the state handouts to all theatres, orchestras, museums, and the like. Do you really think that millions of tax dollars aren’t given to these venues statewide every year? Please….. I don’t go there, so why should I have to pay for it? They can leave if they want, or use their own money to keep their business afloat.

For that matter, let’s trim a little more tax money out. Did you know that the state gives out vouchers every year to people who have developmentally disabled people (generally their children) living in their home, so that they can have people who work for state-funded agencies take them out into the public? That’s right, your tax money is being used to take autistic adults to movies and bowling alleys. How does that make you feel? If you don’t have one of these people living in your house, why should you have to pay for it?

Deal in reality people. If the state of Minnesota does not give the Vikings what they want, someone else will. The Vikings generate revenue for the state. If they leave, the state will have to find new ways to generate that revenue. How do think that will happen?

Do I wish that Ziggy would just build the stadium himself, yes, absolutely. I also wish my employer would pay me more than he is, but he won’t. If I don’t want to work for what I am getting paid, then I can quit and someone else will. Then I have to figure out how I am going to replace that income.

$300 million, people. If you can come up with a better way to generate this revenue, than by all means, let us know. Until then, keep your mouth shut.

PowerMad says: Apr 23, 2011 6:59 PM
if the Packers weren’t the only publicly owned team…..
if there were no salary cap……….,
if it weren’t for these FACTS……,
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And if you weren’t a frustrated, bitter, and angry Viking fan, you wouldn’t be throwing sticks-and-stones at us uphill, while we’re rolling boulders and firing cannons at you downhill. Take up another hobby and STFU.

Wasn’t so much an attempt at humor as it was a slap upside the Viking fan’s head. You can measure how big of a loser the franchise is by wins and losses but the Viking fans are even bigger losers and now suckers to boot for paying for Ziggy’s stadium. Or more accurately, not paying for it and allowing him to move to LA

*****Do I wish that Ziggy would just build the stadium himself, yes, absolutely. I also wish my employer would pay me more than he is, but he won’t. If I don’t want to work for what I am getting paid, then I can quit and someone else will. Then I have to figure out how I am going to replace that income.******

This does not make sense.

It is an unequal comparison.

Zygi Wolf has billions of dollars. He wants his buisness(and remember it is a buisness) to have a new venue.

But he wants non billionaires and millionaires to pay for it.

Most NFL fans are not millionaires.

Shocking—-I know.

Most are middle class or lower class who live week to week or month to month.

There is no reason for a billionaire to ask for struggling persons to pay for his BUISNESS.

dempsey63 says:
Apr 23, 2011 1:00 PM
I don’t mean to sidetrack the conversation, but what was with the caravan of Mayflower moving vans traversing Wisconsin en route to the Twin Cities this morning?
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It is a no brainer to build the stadium. Right now it is all about posturing and wheeling and dealing. The state wants to extract as much money from the team/NFL and vice versa.

Personally I feel that taxing memorabilia is typical idiotic politician thinking. It will generate money but it will also cause a LOT of people to simply purchase outstate using online shopping to avoid the taxes. We hurt local businesses and create a net outflow of money for our state. But fortunately our politicians can save face by saying that the tax affects “just Vikings fans”, lol. Plus we are giving the NFL something to point at as something to fight over when really it just hurts both sides, the state and the team.

People can argue until they are blue in the face about what is “right” and “just” but at the end of the day the Vikings will NOT stay in this state without hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions for a stadium capable of generating income similar to other teams that they get to lease the right to play in. Put yourself in their position. If LA ever gets a stadium built, they wouldn’t require the Vikings or any team to pay a penny to play there.

Look at the history. Every team except the Patriots and Cowboys had the majority of their stadiums paid for.

Yet another angle here too is for example Cowboys stadium. Jones owns that and charges the state for functions they want to hold there. He gets the NCAA final four money and things like that. So even if the state doesn’t pay for the stadium, they still end up paying by not owning it, if that makes sense. Sure it isn’t as much, but it does make a difference.

The bottom line is that there is a good reason most states in our position pay to keep the NFL around. If we buck the trend, we are fools, and will pay more in the end for it.

As much as I would love to see the Viking move….. I would miss the Bears Big rival as we continue to dominate them….they had 1 good year. Between Detroit and the Viks…. Detroit will pull ahead of them this year.

Vikings will be Cellar dwellars the next 10 years..with or without Mcnabb & Favre..(damn did I say his name..?? Sorry)

BUT….. Minnesota..Wake up.Why would you let an NFL team leave your city… I would do everything possible to keep them in Minnesota. You lost the Lakers….. North Stars….. Learn your lesson…. NFL = $$$$$$$. Minnesota would feel the impact if they left.

i drove by the (deflated) humpty-dump the other day and it looked much better without the marshmellow topping. voila– there’s your new outdoor stadium! zigmund can build a couple levels of luxury boxes right on top of the place.